Category: Field Gear

Letter Re: A Suggested Checklist for Preparedness Newbies

Here’s a beginner’s list I made for my [elderly] father today: Food {Brown pearl] rice does not store well. Neither does cooking oil so that needs to be fresh. No, Crisco doesn’t count. Coconut oil would be your best bet. Wheat berries – 400 pounds – bulk order at your local health food store Beans – 400 pounds – bulk order at your local health food store Mylar bags Spices Salt Country Living grain mill propane tanks, small stove and hoses to connect freeze dried fruits, vegetables, eggs and meat if you can find them. Water 500 gallons of water …


Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Discreet Carry Money Belts

Hi James, When I traveled in Europe, I found the inside-the-waist, in-front-of-your-crotch travel pouches sold by REI and the like to be very useful for passport, ID, etc., although they do get a bit hot and whenever they get out of position, it’s hard to avoid the urge to mark yourself by adjusting them. Trying to do so in public can also get you some very strange looks. Because of all this I’ve refrained from wearing them when at home in the States, but I’m missing the comforting feeling of having extra cash and essential documents discreetly hidden. I’m imagining …


Letter Re: Suddenly Homeless on the Potomac–Some Preparedness Lessons Learned

Jim & Company, I thought that I would communicate an interesting story for your web blog. As I write this, I’m holed up in campground/RV park near the District of Columbia (DC) Metropolitan area. How I got here was totally unexpected. My roommate is female, a former army buddy and suffers from chronic depression—maybe bi polar disorder. We maintained a platonic cohabitation for two months until she swore a Temporary Peace Order against me because she felt “threatened”. In the liberal pest hole of Maryland, that’s all it takes. No battery, assault or actual threats—I just yelled at her to …


Letter Re: Everyday Carry Pocketknife Recommendation?

Jim Like you, I’m constantly trying to find out what the best knives are. There are so many, at so many different prices, that it is easy to get sidetracked. With the articles my friend Phil Elmore and I write at The Martialist, we have gone through hundreds of knives over the years. Some great, some are not so spectacular. Let me tell you about the ones I have grown fond of. Not all of them are cheap, but many are. 1. CRKT Grant Hawk D.O.G. [deadbolt over grabstep] Lock. Its an open body, easily sharpened folder with a strong …


Letter Re: Everyday Carry Pocketknife Recommendation?

Mr. Rawles: I’ve seen your recommendations on guns for survival situations, but what do recommend for “Everyday Carry” kinda pocket knives? And what do you carry personally? Thanks, – H.Y. JWR Replies: My general preference is for “low-end” stainless steel folding knives with a positive lock, and with tanto-style tips. In my experience tantos are less prone to getting broken tips. For versatility, I also tend toward knives that are serrated in the back half of the blade. (Commonly called “50/50” or “half-serrated”.) My everyday carry knife is an extra large (5″ blade) Cold Steel 29 XTH Voyager. On occasions …


Letter Re: In a Tight Spot with Long Distance Travel Plans

Jim, Thanks again for all you do. I am in a tight spot and need some good advice. I have to travel to the Washington, DC area this weekend for a two week class at a Federal facility. I have tried (unsuccessfully) to cancel my plans. This will put me thousands of miles from home and family during times of mounting crisis. Due to the areas draconian gun laws, and the classes location I will be unable to travel with a firearm. I have some loose family in the New York City area, but no other regional contacts. I plan …


Letter Re: Some Practical Notes on Third World Living

Jim, As this is not a competition entry, it has not been reviewed by an outside set of eyes yet, and I’m sure its kind of disorganized, but this is some info about third world life, as I can see it here, after things stabilize. My wife is from Peru. She was born during the Peruvian hyperinflation and transition to its next fiat currency, the Nuevo Sol. (Yeah, we’re young whippersnappers) She recently started to help out in getting ready. What helped her was comparing the current economic climate here to Peru. This allowed her to correlate things that occur …


Letter Re: Making Alternatives to Commercial Chemical Light Sticks

Hi Jim, I’m a long time reader of the blog and I liked your novel. I have been amazed at your ability to acutely foresee coming events. More and more yours is the first site that I read every day. I noticed your article on glow sticks and I have an excellent upgrade for your readers. Forget using glow sticks and graduate to Krill lights. Now glow sticks still have their place, but 98% of the time this will be a better item to use. I have purchased several of these over the years and have always been impressed. They …


Letter Re: Questions on Short Term Survival in an Urban Office Building

Dear Mr. Rawles, First off, I just want to say that I really appreciate what you’re doing with your blog site. I’ve learned so many useful things and feel that I am beginning to have a basic understanding of how to prepare for and live in and a survival situation. Second, I’d like to give you a quick bit of background about myself so you can hopefully help me with my dilemma/question… I am a young adult working on the 9th floor of a large building in Manhattan [on Long Island, New York City, New York]. I do not own …


Letter Re: Making Alternatives to Commercial Chemical Light Sticks

Hi Jim, I just read your novel “Patriots” and studied the Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, and both are excellent. [In them,] you talk about chem lights (otherwise known as glow sticks) for in your car for changing tires, handy around campsites, and what not. The shelf life on these, as you mentioned, is very short (couple of months in a car [in a hot climate]) and they are not cheap (or maybe just I am cheap). I found this video on making an LED version of them that is reusable. Seems to me like a good idea for …


Letter Re: A Girl Scout Troop Leader Wants to Get Her Girls Prepared

James: The Boy Scouts of America have an Emergency Preparedness merit badge that hits a lot of good points. There is a lot of redundancy on the web concerning this merit badge, but it does broach some basic concepts aimed at a youth’s perspective. Sincerely, – Bill in Austin, Texas


A Girl Scout Troop Leader Wants to Get Her Girls Prepared

We recently got an e-mail from a Girl Scout troop leader, describing how she wants to start a project making 72-hour “bug out” bags for the troop members. Her goal is to get her troop members better prepared, yet not tip-off their parents to her own level of preparedness. She wants to avoid making herself look like some sort of “preparedness nut” or “whacko”. The important thing to keep in mind is that terminology and phrasing are crucial to how people form opinions. Do not use terms such as “Bug Out Bag” or “Get Out of Dodge Kit” or “Survival …


Letter Re: Some Thoughts on Practical Preparedness — Things That Work

Jim: To follow-up on the last two e-mails that you posted from me, here are some random thoughts that I’d like to share on preparedness for when the Schumer Hits the Fan (WTSHTF): Use an eyeglasses “leash” (lanyard) to prevent the loss of glasses and reduce the risk of damage. Buy janitorial-size rolls os toilet paper, without perforations. Each roll is 1,000 feet long, and a box of 12 rolls measures about two feet square. These take up just a fraction of the room required to store the same length of toilet paper in standard household rolls. Use a kiddie-type …


Letter Re: A Resource on Make-It-Yourself Backpacking Gear

Hello, I came across this web site and thought I’d send you the link to a page at Backpacking.net: Make Your Own Gear! I can’t even sew my shirt buttons back on, but maybe it would be of use to other readers. [JWR Adds: Don’t miss the individual plans in the left hand bar.] By the way, I gave your novel a good review on Amazon.com. Most everybody did. But I included a motivational quote in it that really means a lot to me. I heard it from an Amway tape many years ago: “I will do today what others …


Letter Re: The Approach of Tropical Storm Hanna Was a Wake-Up Call

Sir, I used to think of myself as “Mr. Preparedness.” I read the blogs and often went shopping for preparedness supplies. Then tropical storm Hanna came to the Carolina coast and I realized just how ill prepared I really was. I didn’t even have my medicines in order. Also, I had no reserve of cash in small bills ready to go. Nothing was packed. It took some time to get all my things together. Had this been a real emergency, I would have been in trouble. Sir, you mentioned in a previous blog the importance of having that bag already …